The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-11
Popular Science.


Mr.. W August Carter has been observing
the habits and methods of fish, and has come
to the conclusion that they are an ''intelli-
gent, ingenious and crafty race He is CON
WINGED that they are capable of understand
ing and being understood by one another,
and that they give warning of danger to
each other
Prof. Ferdinand Coin, in paper on "Vi-
tai Questions, considers that we have solved
the riddle of life, inaslnuch as we have
grasped the mechanism and the physical
and chemical forces that set it in motion.
But, as we still have to face other phenom-
ena and active forces, the full solution of
the problem is yet far deferred.
CdSSetps Mdgdsine refers to new kind
of glue for joining leather belts which has
recently been introduced. Its tenacity may
be gathered from the statement that joint
in four-inch single belt, recently tested,
broke in the leather clear of the Join with a
stress of 2,174 pounds which is at the rate
of 1850 pounds on the square inch Of section
of the belt. The formula is not given.
Salt brine is used in Sheffield, Eng, for
hardening steel, says an exchange. The
mixture improves with age and use, and to
such an extent that its value is largely in
creased In some cases these tanks are fifty
years old and have value in proportion to
their age. 1t appears that the constant dip
ping of the hot metal into the same solution
alters in some way it's character.
DR.. Il. W. Shufeldt has recorded an inter
esting study of a case of the repair of the
bill OF "a raven after it had been shot off
The ball had carried away the upper bill
just forward of the nostrils. The bone had
grown again so as to cover the injury, and
the horny covering, following suit, had in
cased the stump formed by the bone The
y,T ~,
that the in iured part was left in such con-
dition that the danger of subsequent infiam-
nation was avoided, while the form of the
resulting stump was as useful "A one as could
possibly be expected 10 follow after a wound
of such n character.
An international cremation conference is
to be held in Milan in September of this
year Among the questions to which its
attention will be brought will be those of
legislation concerning the transportation of
bodies from one country TO another; crema-
ton and the preservation of ashes, with
especial reference 10 hygiene and legal med
icine; the technical moral, hygienic and
economical aspects of different systems of
cremation and projects for international
legislation with reference to liberty at fu-
nerals.
"Tabasheer" is a peculiar stone or mineral
found in the stems Of certain bamboos. II
resembles an opal and seems 70 bear the
same relation TO the mineral kingdom that
pearls and amber do. From time immemo-
rial il has enjoyed a high reputation in
Eastern countries for medicinal virtues,
like those of the fossil teeth of China and
the belemnites c'thunderbolts'1 of this
country. The bamboos which produce it
contain n clear greenish liquid, which on
standing yields whitish sediment The
stone is believed TO be produced from this
liquid and is commonly found In bamboos
which rattle on being shaken. When taba-
sheer Is simply whetted it becomes opaque,
but clear and transparent when soaked IN
water. 1t consists chiefly of Silica potash
and water, and thus resembles the opal In
composition as well as ia appearance.